UPOV 91 and trade agreements: Compromising farmers' right to save and sell seeds

The international Convention UPOV 91 is relatively unknown. But this treaty is quite problematic for smallholder farmers and agroecological approaches: by imposing intellectual property rights on seeds, it can restrict the farmers’ right to save and re-use seeds and undermine local seed systems. At the same time we note increased effort to include references to UPOV 91 in EU trade agreements, which would further aggravate the related problems. With this paper, we aim to facilitate an urgently needed debate on the relations between UPOV 91, national seed laws and trade agreements – and the potential implications on the livelihoods of subsistence farmers in the Global South.

Cover photo: farmers in Iran (taken by Hamed Zolfaghari)

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Our mission

Together with environmental justice groups from the Global South, Both ENDS works towards a sustainable, fair and inclusive world. We gather and share information about policy and investments that have a direct impact on people and their livelihood, we engage in joint advocacy, we stimulate the dialogue between stakeholders and we promote and support sustainable local alternatives.